Parliament could compel the ABC to reveal Michelle Guthrie settlement

Parliament could force the ABC to release details of its settlement with sacked managing director Michelle Guthrie after the public broadcaster declared the terms of the resolution would be kept confidential.

The parties reached a settlement last week after Ms Guthrie filed an adverse action claim in the Federal Court over her dismissal late last year. Announcing the resolution, the ABC said the details would remain confidential and "no further public statement will be made" by either side.

Former ABC chair Justin Milne and MD Michelle Guthrie, who fell out spectacularly over email.Credit:Steven Siewert

The ABC has faced criticism for the secrecy, with Communications Minister Mitch Fifield declaring a preference for Ms Guthrie and her former employer to be transparent with the government and community about the use of taxpayer funds.

Jonathon Duniam, the Liberal chair of the Senate's environment and communications committee, is now seeking to use the powers of the committee to compel the release of the information.

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"The ABC is a taxpayer funded entity and taxpayers are entitled to know how their money is being spent. While Ms Guthrie and ABC management might think this is private information, taxpayers think otherwise and the information should be made public in the interests of transparency," Senator Duniam said.

Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam

"While it is a committee decision as to what action the committee takes, I will be seeking to use what powers the committee has to make this information public."

The first step is simply to request the information from ABC representatives when they appear before a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday. Senator Duniam is exploring what the committee can do to force the ABC's hand beyond that.

The Senate has the power to order the production of documents from the ABC, as with any statutory body. The public broadcaster could in return seek to claim "public interest immunity", arguing that it is in the interest of the public for the information to remain confidential.

If the ABC resists the pressure from Senator Duniam, he would need majority support from fellow senators to override the organisation's wishes.

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The Australian Financial Review reported on Monday that Ms Guthrie was paid $500,000 under the agreement, which contains non-disparagement clauses to prevent more details of the dispute being aired publicly.

It is not known if the ABC covered the entire cost of the reported settlement or if individual board directors contributed.

Ms Guthrie took the ABC to court over claims her dismissal from the $900,000-a-year role was in retaliation for raising complaints against former chairman Justin Milne. She was paid an $800,000 termination fee when she was fired halfway through her five-year contract.

Over Tuesday and Wednesday, the ABC is also preparing to face significant scrutiny during a separate Senate inquiry into political intervention at the public broadcaster.

Acting managing director David Anderson, along with all the board directors, are set to appear at the public hearings, alongside journalist unions and interest groups.

It is expected that transparency, particularly around government budget decisions, the broadcaster's use of funds and editorial complaints processes will be major discussion points.

The ABC Alumni, a group made up of hundreds of former staff, is scheduled to appear on Tuesday and has put in a second submission to the inquiry arguing for a fve-year rather than three-year funding model and for the reversal of recent budget cuts.

"If these latest cuts are not reversed, the ABC Board and management will be left with no alternative but to implement program restructures requiring the retrenchment of hundreds more ABC program makers and support staff," the submission says.

"We contend that the frequency and magnitude of the cuts inflicted on the ABC over the last five years can be categorised as akin to political interference."

The ABC Alumni also recently called on the public broadcaster to provide more information over the settlement with Ms Guthrie.